A glance at the smoke hole showed that the sky was growing light. It would be morning soon. The thought of seeing Rides the Buffalo now that he knew he was her son filled her with trepidation. She tried to imagine what he must be feeling, thinking. No doubt it had been a terrible shock. She prayed he would give her a chance to explain, that, after she had told him everything, he would understand, that he would accept her. She looked at Mitch, sleeping peacefully beside her and envied him. She had hardly been able to sleep at all. Rides the Buffalo had cried twice in his sleep. She had awakened instantly, every instinct urging her to go to him, but White Robe had always been there, crooning softly to the boy, offering him a drink of water, soothing him with her touch and her soft words. It had pained her to hear her son call another woman shi ma…mother. With a sigh, she closed her eyes, praying that somehow everything would work out. * * * * * Alisha woke with a start, the last vestiges of her dream vanishing in the low rumble that met her ears.
